Hope Rises in Homewood

Elwin Green walks us down his street, Race Street, in the middle of Homewood. It is mid-morning, the sun is shining brightly and the day is perfect for taking photos, meeting the neighbors, and assessing the potential of this street. Race Street is an five-block-long street of modest four-square brick Pittsburgh homes, like any street in the region.

However, Race Street, like much of Homewood, is plagued with an image problem. Sure there are some vacant properties--many of which could be fixed. But with people unable to obtain home improvement or home mortgage loans, public safety issues, and low self-esteem, Race Street, like Homewood, faces an uphill battle for legitimacy and its future.

Yet, the story does not end in a downward spiral of despair. Residents are fighting back. They are organizing, involving a diverse array of stakeholders, and, most importantly, getting the young people involved.

Race Street is a subset of efforts to revitalize Homewood that have galvanized around the Homewood Children's Village concept (Http://homewoodchildrensvillage.org), a direct descendant of the Harlem Children's Zone founded by Geoffrey Canada (http://www.hcz.org/). A public kick-off event for the Homewood Children's Village was held on September 14, 2010. Hundreds of people packed the gym at Faison school to watch a touching video, "One Square Mile," and to hear the elaborate plans and committees that have been organized. The room was filled with incredible optimism and hope.

Today (September 23rd), however, the U.S. Department of Education announced their latest round of grant awards, and the Homewood Children's Village was not chosen for federal funding. Yet, there is still reason for optimism, not just because Homewood's latest plan has the backing of elected officials and other community leaders.

Hope rises in Homewood because of the young people who are involved, who were well represented at the kick-off event.

The celebration ended with an original rap performance by four young people, who closed out their set with the catchy tune "Welcome to the Village." Yes, welcome to the Village. It was an amazing display of community cohesion and promise--which can only be sustained if the young people are involved.

We cannot, must not lose another generation to the streets, to the vacant buildings and empty lots, and to hopelessness. If we fail our children, we fail ourself.

Let's involve our children, get involved in their world, protect them, and make them feel welcome in all aspects of our lives. It is through them our legacy survives.

Advertising Signs and Historic Preservation

An important historic preservation issue is not getting the attention it deserves: advertising signs and how they affect historic neighborhoods and business districts.

Decades ago, signs were painted on brick walls to promote a business in the building or located nearby. These signs can be found across the Pittsburgh region today, but most have faded away and are commonly referred to as “Ghost Signs”. They unlock a piece of history and add great character to an otherwise nondescript part of a building.

The advertising industry shifted long ago to a more “in your face” attitude in locating and designing current billboards. Most of these are brightly lit at night so that they are center of attention. In the city of Pittsburgh alone, there are over 900 billboards lining our streets and neighborhoods (with greater numbers found in low-income areas). These signs try to pull our eyes away from what Pittsburghers cherish so much: the city skyline, tree covered hills, river views and our neighborhoods.

It is often cited that billboards are a major distraction to drivers, but they also are a visual distraction to pedestrians. Unlike watching television or reading a newspaper or magazine, billboards are front and center where someone can’t turn to a different channel or flip to the next page. That is one of the reasons the billboard industry does so well and why businesses constantly advertise with this medium.

In recent years, the signage industry has been moving focus to new electronic technology that has moving, flashing and color-changing elements. Primarily using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), the light from the billboards is often seen for miles, especially in the Pittsburgh region with our topography. New York’s Times Square and the Strip in Las Vegas are examples of places designed for these bright flashing signs. Our residential neighborhoods and historic main streets should not fall into the same category.

Currently, new legislation is being developed to bring the zoning code up-to-date with the new technology. The City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning has been working with legal and lighting consultants to draft new regulations for electronic signage. The Planning Commission will have hearings on the issue in October. This would be the perfect opportunity for you to get involved and have your thoughts about these signs heard. Involvement from residents will be critical!

It is time to stop ignoring these signs and take action to reduce the visual blight on Pittsburgh’s landscape. Change must happen from both businesses and residents alike. Businesses need to understand that their historic main street is being plastered with clutter. Residents should demand the views from the streets be protected and not sold off for profit.

What happened to the simple painted signs on brick walls that showcased the Mom and Pop store? Instead we now have signs brightly shining into windows at night and billboards on rusting steel supports or tall poles that bring down property values. Most officially designated historic districts in municipalities have the most restrictions on advertising signs and generally don’t allow them at all. That leaves the majority of the city vulnerable and our historic urban character at risk.

To find relevant documents and more information on this issue, visit the Department of City Planning’s website (http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/), under the “Electronic Advertising and Message Signage” heading.

—Chuck Alcorn, YPA Board Secretary